Improvement in dental tongue-holders



FRANC'ISM. OSBORN.

l-mprovement'in Dental Tongue Holders.

No.1l8

Patented Aug. 22, i871 UNITED STATES FRANCIS M. OSBORN, OF PORT CHESTER, NEW YORK.

4IMPROVEMENT IN DENTAL TONGUE-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,386, dated August 22, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS M. OsBonN, of Port Chester, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Ton gue-Holders for Dentists Use; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same,

reference bein g had to the annexed drawing making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective View, Fig. 2 is a vertical section, Fig. 3 is a plan View of the cup, Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the same, Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the same, and Fig. 6 is a section on the line of Fig. 3.

The same letters are employed in all the ii gures in the designation of the same parts.

On the 20th of June, A. D. 1870, Letters Patent of the United State were issued to me for a machine for the same use, which consisted of a cup supported on a handle.

My present application is intended to cover improvements in the form of the cu'p, and also in the devices for supporting the same. The nature of the improvements will appear from the following specification and claims.

In the annexed drawing, A is a cup formed to receive the end of the ton gue and hold it in such position as not to interfere with the instruments of the. operator. This cup is so attached to the supporting-frame that it may be convenientlyT removed to be washed. Its interior form should correspond with that of the end of the tongue of the patient. The bottom is formed, as shown in Fig. 5, with a flat portion, a2, formed substantially as shown in said figure, having an indentation, as shown at al, to receive thefwcmim or thin membrane which connects the tongue with the door of the mouth. The iiat portion a2 is intended to cover the salivary glands and prevent the secretion and flow of the saliva. In my said former Letters Patent the cup was rounded, and failed to secure this important end. The frame is composed of two parts connected by a hinge, as shown in Figs. l and 2. The section B terminates in a bevel-edged point, which is received in a corresponding recess, a, in the cup. The section B is intended to extend under the chin, and is formed with a ratchet, b, to hold adjustably the stirrup C, which is hinged to the section B. The end of the section B is widened and formed with a hole and female screw to receive the screw D1, on the end of which is a pad or button, D, and which is operated by the milled head D2.

By means of the screw and stirrup and ratchet the frame may be properly adjusted :and retained in position, leaving the operator free to use both han ds.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The tongue-holder A constructed with the fiat portions a2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. i The cup or tongue-holder A constructed with A...the iiat portion a2 and recess or indentation al,

substantially as set forth.

3. In combination with the cup or tongue-holder, a hinged or jointed frame for attaching the same, substantially in the manner set forth.

4. In combination with parts last aforesaid, the stirrup and ratchet, or its equivalent, for confining and retaining the frame and cup, substantiall y as set forth.

5. In combination with the cup and hinged frame, the adjusting and connin g-screw and pad or button, substantially as set forth.

6. In combination, the cup, hinged frame, stirrup, and screw, substantially as set forth.

- In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto signed my name this 19th day of July, A. D. 1871, in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

F. M. OSBORN.

Witnesses:

Jos. R. EDsoN, o J. W. MISTER. 

